The Lehigh County Chiefs of Police Association is partnering with the technical school to host the 11-week program at the North Whitehall Township school's criminal justice center, according to organizers. The academy is scheduled to run 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays, March 18 to June 3.

"Lehigh County's citizens police academy's purpose is to provide citizens with an opportunity to become informed and educated about the many aspects of police work," technical school criminal justice instructor Claude Kohl said. "The academy is designed to give the citizens an understanding of why and how police respond."

Kohl said the academy will give some members of the public a close-up look at LCTI's criminal justice center and a better understanding of what the school has to offer students from its nine sending districts.

Firearms safety, arrest procedures, emergency vehicle operations, DUI and traffic enforcement, crime scene processing and fingerprinting are some of the topics that will be covered during the academy, organizers said. Other topics to be addressed include the district attorney's office, communications, specialized task forces and units and court procedures.

Academy tuition is $50. To register, residents must contact their community's police department. There are 37 spots available in the program.